Lighting of vehicles



June 11, 1929. GASTON 1.716.690

LIGHTING OF VEHICLES Filed Nov. 27

im/umimw 24m {yaw/03a Patented J ne- 11, 1929.

. LEON GASTON, OI MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. I

LIGHTING VEHICLES.

Application filed November 8, 1927,

This invention relates to new or improved mechanism for automatically controlling the lighting of electrically lighted automoblles.

The object of the invention is to provlde 5 means for automatically switching on the r of the responsibility lights of the vehicles at any predetermined time, and thus relieve the owner or driver vehicle to switch on the lights at the correct time, and of theanxiety that he may for board of an automobile,

get or for some reason be unable to do st). A further object of'the invention is to proand so simple in construction that its manner ofoperation would immediately be apparent to any person of ordinary mechanical ability handling it for the first time and so that it is substantially proof against damage during the preliminary examination and operating which it would receive at the hands of such person:

In attaining this last object a further object isachieved in providlng an instrument which can be operated so quickly, easily and positively as to encourage regular use whenever the vehicle is to be left unattended Where lighting-up is necessary. Another object is to provide indicia by which the setting of the for different time periods of the ear, or for clifierent lighting up times for di erent parts of a country, or for different countries can be readily determined. I

According to the invention, a spring clock is employed similar to that commonly used on automobiles, and also an electric switch .in proximity to the clock and in circuit With the lighting system of the vehicle, the

switch being bodily movable around the clock face. Combined with the switch'are means for holding same normally open,

' and between the switch and the hour hand spindle of the clock, is mechanism which, with the movements of the clock, will automatically close the switch at a given time, correspon ing to lighting up time, the said mechanism and the switch having been previously set to a position relatively to the clock face corresponding to such time.

The clockand switch are mounted on a boar which may be the usual instrument board of the vehicle, or a separate board fixed in a position where it can be easily seen by the driver of the vehicle. a

There will usually be the main switch of of returning to the ide an instrument suitable for the dash automatic control mechanism Serial No. 231,961, and in Great Britain July 29, 1927.

the lighting system in addition tothe auto matic switch aforesaid,-the two switches being Wired in parallel.

On the face of thesaid board to indicate the months of the year, and the months are arranged opposite the times at which therlights require to be switched on in such months.

In using the improved devices the switch, which is provided with a knob and pointer, is first moved until it comes to a point opposite the month corresponding to the month in which the vehicle is being used.

With the clock wound up and set to the right time, the switch release mechanism between the hour hand spindle and the switch eventually operates to release the switch at the correct moment "for lighting up, and thereby completes the circuit of the vehicle lamps.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 shows a front view of of the mechanism for controlling the lighting up of the vehicle lamps.

Fig. 2 shows a section plan of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a diagram of the wiring for three lamps, the main switch and the automatic switch.

a is the clock, which is of any suitable pattern, and-b is the usual bezel or front mounting of the clock, the latter being let into an openingin a board a, which may be the dash board of the vehicle or a separate board, ,while the former is secured to the rear of the board by any suitable means.

a clock, and.

are markings brackets c are used for securing the clock to the board, and at the same time leaving a space between the clock and the rear face of the board. at is a cam on that part of the spindle of the hour hand of ing across said space, while 6 is a rod, which alsoextends into said space, and lies with its cranked end in the path, of the cam, see Fig. 1. f is a plunger, forming part of a switch. In such plunger is an annular groove, with which the near end of the cam rod normally engages under the pressure of a spring f within the tubular guide f connected to a carrier block switch casing It. Within this casing are the spring contact blades 2', 2',- connected in parallel with the main switch and with the vehiele lamps. I is a curved slot in the board 0,

the clock extend- 37 carrying the which extends aroundthe clock from points I hours 3 to 11, orthereabouts.

opposite the block g slidably fits the slot 7a,

The carrier small rollers g helpin and on the front end 0% g and a pointer gj. I

The cam-engaging end of the .rod e is held in the plane of the cam moveents the block is a knob by being cranked where it enters the guide F, the guide at 'such point also being slotted.

' Upon the face .of the board a are printed I the names of-the months of the year, each month coming opposite the time for lighting up in such month. In the case of countries where the time of day in summer differs from the time of day in winter, as in Great Britain, there will be two sets ofmonths printed on the board, one for summer time and the other for winter time, as

shown in Fig. 1. In the case of countries .where the time of day differs in difierent parts of the country, as in U. S. A., there will also be'a set of months for each time, assuming it'is likely that the vehicle will be used in all parts of the country. When there is only one time of day, a single set of months only will be printed on the board.

To facilitate the more accurate position-.

ing of thecarrier block along'the slot 0,-the words onthe board may be surrounded by lines, small lines corresponding to the four weeks of the month.

In Fig. 3, j, jare side lamps and-k the taillamp of the vehicle, Z the main hand-' operated switch and hthe automatic switch. The vehicle lights may be switched on and switched ed at any t me by the main switch,

the plunger f is drawn back until the cam rod entersthe groove in the plunger.

A particular advantage of this invention is that an ordinary clock is-employed, and that no alteration of the clock,;other. than the addition of the cam, is necessary to effect the purposes of the invention, thereby enabling the invention to be applied 'at a cost little more than the cost of an ordinaryv clock without the automatic lig hting mechanism. Further, the clock can be the usual dash board clock and not a special clock.

to reduce friction,

. to which the clock is fitte 'months of t e year arranged opposite the.

lighting-up times of such month, an elecwhich may be marked with dots, or,

What I claim is: 1. In means for automatically lighting up .the lamps of an electrically lighted auto- 5 mobile at predetermined times, the use in combinationwith-a spring clock of a board printed with the trio switch in circuit with the vehicle lamps, means for holding the switch normally open, and mechanism between such switch and the hour hand spindle of the clock engaging saidswitch, whereby'with the movements of the clock, said. switch will be automatically closed at a given time corresponding to lighting-up timeand the vehicle lamps lighted, after previously setting the mechanism to a position corresponding to such time, as

2. In means for automatically lighting up the lamps of an electrically lighted automobile at predetermined times, a spring clock,

a board to which such clock is secured, a cam on the spindle of the hour hand of the clock, a movable switch and switch casing near the clock, a carrier for said switch casing, means between one member of the switch and the cam ber r zlear of the other members of the switch, these latter being incircuit with the vehicle lam s, carrier and cam-operated means to be moved dial, as set forth. r

3. In means for automatically lighting up the lamps of an electrically lighted automobileat predetermined times, a spring and means which allow the'switch which normally hold said switch memto various angular positions around the clock clock, a board, with through opening, to the rear of which the casing containing the works of the clock is secured at a slight space therefrom, while the. clock faceis secured to the front of the boardand over'said opening, a cam on the hour hand spindle of the 10 clock which spindle crosses the space between the clock casing and'clock face, a rod withcranked end extending into said space and lying near to, and in the plane of, the

cam, a guide for'said rod and a spring in said guide for pressing the rod against the cam, a block carrying said guide, a switch casing also carried by said block, and enclosing a cone-ended plunger with groove in its pe- .riphery for the cam rod to engage, spring contact blades in circuit with the vehicle lamps, said board having a curved slot and said carrier block slidably fitting said slot,

and adapted to be moved, and to move the cam rod to various angular positions around the clock dial, as set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LEON GASTON.

and two 

